//------------------------------// // An Emergency Midday Questline (Part 1) // Story: Spike Hates Himself // by Soaring //------------------------------// After his Road to a Sugar Coma got nearly cured by the problems that plagued his draconic visage, Spike was now ready to make his way to his next destination: Fluttershy’s cottage. Pinkie had him thinking of who he could turn to so he could stop thinking about these issues of his, and luckily, he had two great friends of his own that could help him. Not that Twilight’s friends weren’t his friends, they were and still are! He just needed to have his own group of friends, ones that didn’t hang out with Twilight all the time. Thankfully, over the years, he has gained many more friends, ones that, well, hang out with him, and Big Mac and Discord were just two of those many that he knew he could trust. Thankfully, Big Mac and Discord had scheduled a Guys’ Night earlier than usual. In fact, Spike couldn’t even call it a ‘night’ thing. More like a midday rendezvous? Twilight would know the words, but Spike didn’t need to know them. All that he knew was that they had planned this shindig long before he had accidentally spilled his heart out to Starlight. Actually, it was before he even started hating himself. Discord primarily planned this in advance, since he wanted to try something different without ruining the session they already started, and Big Mac was totally down for it, since he was pretty much open to anything. Spike, however, had his reservations. Even if what Discord did for them spiced up their sessions tenfold, it didn’t mean Spike wasn’t worried about what Discord had planned. Yet, despite that lingering worry, Spike felt a sense of excitement bubble within him. He couldn’t help it. The two of them had been looking forward to this night for a long time. And Spike wasn’t too keen on splitting it apart just because he had a nagging feeling that he wasn’t going to be too up for it, even if his mind was racing of all the possibilities, while his heart was about to jump out of his chest. Taking a deep breath, Spike walked up to Fluttershy’s cottage and knocked on the door. The door rattled in response, only for a soft yet stern voice to ‘shout’ behind it. “One second!” He stood there, smiling. Even if he hated himself immeasurably over thinking about wanting to kill himself, it was good that he could ignore those thoughts and feel happy for one last time— “Oh, hi Spike!” The door had flown open, revealing one of his favorite pegasi in all of Equestria. “Hello, Fluttershy!” He felt his lips sag just a little. Even though this was her cottage, Spike didn’t think Fluttershy would have answered the door. He thought that Discord told him that Fluttershy was going out for the night. Why was she here? “How are you?” “I’m doing well, thank you for asking.” She gave Spike a bright smile. “Discord’s been really looking forward to having you two over tonight!” “Trust me, I know. He was raving about it at the last session of Ogres and Oubliettes. Big Mac and I caught on that he's been tired of our sessions being the same old adventure. There’s no harm in trying something new, as long as Discord doesn’t try to dissolve us in highly corrosive chocolate rain or something like that. Thankfully, he told me that it’s a bit more tame, so I’m willing to give this a shot.” “O-Oh?” Fluttershy slightly tilted her head. “And what’s this game called?” “Apparently it’s called DarkScape. Discord told us he’s been working on it in secret for a while now. Not sure if that makes me any less worried.” Spike paused, and craned his head, looking behind the mare. “Speaking of, where is Discord at?” “He’s trying to get the snacks ready with Big Mac,” Fluttershy replied. “I can’t believe how much progress he’s made.” It’s true. Discord had made a lot of progress. In fact, it’s one of the many reasons why Spike even became friends with the guy, and how this friendship of his has blossomed forth into being best friends with chaos, even if the forecast for today said that there might be a possibility of deadly chocolate rain. Discord was now more caring, nicer, and quite frankly, not out of the realm of possibility to talk to about his own issues. Big Mac was very similar in that right, except he didn’t have to get ‘reformed’ for that to happen. And unlike Discord, Big Mac was a very good listener, to the point that he could rant to him about anything without having too many interruptions. It was perfect for what Spike wanted to do, to tell them all about these thoughts and issues he was having. He knew that if he could get a moment to talk to Discord and Big Mac, then he could settle down and prepare himself for the harsh reality he’d have to face. Fluttershy, however, was not in his plans. He didn't have a backup plan for this either. Spike knew he'd be a bit of a mood-killer if Fluttershy heard about his problems. He didn’t want to disappoint her or burden her with his troubles. She had plenty of problems on her plate already. Besides, Spike was wanting to see his friends’ perspectives. At a Guys’ Night, he could talk to them about anything, and they wouldn’t gossip about it whatsoever. They’d just play Ogres and Oubliettes while talking about their problems, and they’d make sure to keep it out of earshot from the girls. That’s how other ponies saw them anyway: three stooges that locked themselves away in a room playing games. That outside view of his mini friend group didn’t bother Spike though. He was just glad to have a group of his own. Glad enough that he felt no nerves in asking Fluttershy rather bluntly if he could go into the cottage. Her response was to ‘eep!’ right out of his way and let him mosey on inside and over to the couch, where his two friends were making their way out of the kitchen, carrying a bowl full of chips and a couple extra smaller bowls. The reaction was instantaneous. “Why, hello, Spike! How are you doing?” Discord’s jingle as he said that question to Spike really made the dragon’s mind spin. He didn’t want to answer that question, yet. He had to say something, though. Spike smiled back. “Hey, Discord! I’m doing alright. Been out and about a lot today.” “Oh? Have you?” The draconequus looked down at the dragon. He set the bowl of chips off Big Mac’s back and put them on the table beside them. “You must have a lot of stories to tell. Any chaotic ones?” “I don’t think they’d be labeled chaotic,” Spike said with that eager emphasis Discord used. The dragon shook his head. “Besides, they’re not that important. What is important is me getting an upgrade to my charisma modifier, and hanging out with you guys today will surely get me that boost!” Discord hard rolled his eyes. Spike was right, Discord was getting tired of it. “Save the upgrades for our next session of O&O, Spike. Tonight, we will be traveling to a new realm, one that is bigger than any of you could ever imagine!” “Eeyup!” Big Macintosh said. He sat down next to Discord and smiled. “Discord got us a great game to play tonight!” “Really?” Spike asked, an eyebrow raised. He walked over to the table and leaned on it, taking a glance at the chips in the bowl. “If it’s anything like you told us a few days ago, I’m a tad worried.” “Worried? Pshhh!” Discord waved a paw dismissively at the dragon. “Spike you may just be like Twilight! She worried a lot about me… except for all the wrong reasons.” He chuckled, much to the chagrin of Fluttershy, who sat near the couch with an awkward smile on her face. He glanced over at her, and gasped softly. “Sorry, my dear Fluttershy! I didn't mean any ill will towards your friends! I—” “And who just said that Spike worried too much?” Fluttershy said, smirking, her ears high. Discord groaned, while the rest laughed their flanks off.  Spike was the first to calm down. He had nearly dug his claws into his chest, but Spike knew he didn’t need to worry too much. Scales were way more durable than fur was in that aspect. He probably should get his claws buffed out next week, they were looking a bit worse for wear.  Spike blinked as he stared at his claws, wiggling them in the light. Why was that something he thought of? Did he look ok? He hoped they didn’t notice that—just act natural. That’s all they needed to see. Spike acted unnatural and snatched a few chips to stuff into his mouth. He chomped on them and pointed at Discord. “So, what are we doing first in this game of yours?” Discord lips curled into a smile. “Well, before we start, I would like to ask if Fluttershy could join us tonight.” Spike’s gaze landed on Fluttershy, who smiled sheepishly at the group. “I-If you don’t mind me playing, that is! I heard from Rainbow Dash and Pinkie that it’s fun when Discord conjures up a world for you all to play in! And since… well…” Fluttershy’s voice trailed off, as she looked at Spike. She tilted her head. “Are you okay, Spike?” Are you okay, Spike? Spike shook his head. He realized the chips were no longer in his claw. The dragon burped loudly, before he awkwardly reached behind his neck, making it seem like he was sating a pesky itch of his. “Sorry about that. Didn’t know I was that hungry, hehe.” He gave Fluttershy a smile. “So, you wanna play with us, Fluttershy?” “Please, if you don’t mind,” she said. The other two occupants nodded enthusiastically, while Spike gave her a thumb’s up. Fluttershy promptly squealed, trotting in place. “Great!” Spike nearly winced at how high-pitched Fluttershy’s squeal was. It was like someone just hit the highest note they’ve ever hit while singing, only to realize that the note they hit was weaponized, shattering any glass in their vicinity. Fluttershy realized this and hid behind her hair, something that Spike knew was a tough habit to crack, but those beady eyes that peered through the pink jungle she called a mane made Spike feel all the better about himself. He didn’t have to hide behind himself. He just hid behind a mask. Spike’s heart skipped at that. He hid behind a mask. He didn’t need to show it. A mask that only he could wear. No one else could. Just him. His eyes hovered over the bowl again, tempting him to grab another one. Maybe it’ll ease his mind a bit. Or maybe these thoughts would always linger, and he had no choice but to let them in and resonate within him. Or Fluttershy could just tap him on the shoulder. Fluttershy tapped Spike once more on his shoulder. “Are you sure you’re okay, Spike?” Spike waved a claw at her, and smiled. “I’m okay, Fluttershy. Just a bit tired from earlier.” Big Mac hopped off the couch and sat down in front of the two. “If ya need anything, Spike, we’re here for ya.”  Discord snapped his fingers and blinked out of existence. Then he popped up right beside Fluttershy, looping an arm around her shoulder. “Exactly, Spike! We’re all here for you if you need it! You mustn’t suffer alone.” “Suffer alone?” Spike asked, blinking. “What do you mean?” “Hmm… I’ll explain to you what that means if you’re willing to divulge any details about that day of yours,” Discord said, smirking. He flipped a coin chip in his claw, the coin sailing into the air before landing on his paw. “Heads, drat!” Spike shook his head. “I think I’m fine for now, guys, really.” “Suit yourself,” Discord said, the coin blinking out of existence. He smiled at the group. “Let’s get to ruining some lives—I mean, creating some chaos in DarkScape, shall we?” The three yipped and cheered. It was a game that everyone was excited about. Why? No clue—Spike couldn’t even figure that out. He just watched as Discord began to explain, “Now, the game is simple. We will all spawn in as characters. We will all have the same stats, and all the same gear.” He smirked as he muttered a few words underneath his breath. Discord snapped his fingers once again, and everything changed ᶦⁿᶜˡᵘᵈᶦⁿᵍ ᵗʰᵉ ᶠᶦʳᵉ ⁿᵃᵗᶦᵒⁿ. The room morphed into a giant living space, one that had many more chairs, tables, and bookshelves than Fluttershy’s cottage had. They slowly warped into the room, one by one, while others simply extended or widened. Even the couch they were sitting on just moments ago grew larger, turning into a t-sectioned couch. Dark brown floors graced their paws and hooves. A giant mat lay behind them, leading to a large door to a world unlike their own, which was waiting for one of them to bravely open it. “Forgot to change the scenery.” Discord grinned. Fluttershy and Big Mac mirrored him too, all ready to embark on this adventure together. “Anyway, we are currently on an island far away from civilization. There are very few ponies inhabiting this place, and it’s up to us to help them with whatever they need before we go on our own adventure.” Spike’s brows furrowed. Sounds like a tutorial of some sort. “Is this going to be like a tutorial level, Discord?” Discord ‘hopped’ off the couch. “Yes. Every game has a tutorial level, Spike, even the most orderless ones.” “Figured. So how big is this place anyway?” “The game world?” Discord asked. Spike nodded. “It’s about ten times as large as Equestria.” “Ten times?” Fluttershy asked. She gasped. “I couldn’t imagine a place that big!” “Eeyup!” Big Mac said. He glanced over at a nearby table, something that drew Spike to it too. The snacks were no longer there. Instead, there were a few swords, and shields on it.  “Well, welcome to DarkScape. It’s a world just waiting to be explored!” Discord smirked. He snapped his fingers, and suddenly the swords and shields were floating towards the group. “Each one of you gets a pair of each.” He willed a pair towards Big Mac, the stallion grinning happily as he reached out for them. “And don’t worry, Fluttershy, you don’t have to use them if you don’t want to—” “Gimme, gimme, gimme!” she yipped enthusiastically. Her wings were fully extended, and her eyes were honed in on the two pieces of equipment. Discord’s eyes widened, and Spike didn’t blame him. Since when did Fluttershy like sword-fighting? The pegasus got her wish, wielding the sword and shield with an excited grin. Then, she got up and walked around the room, looking at the various bookshelves and other items stockpiled in it. As Spike received his starter gear, Discord turned to see Fluttershy head first in a bag full of something, something that Discord seemed quite worried about, his arms waving around in a flurry. “Fluttershy, don’t look in there!” Suddenly, the pegasus froze. She poked her head out of the bag with a helmet in her maw. Her eyes looked glazed over, as she stared up at Discord. “Canth I havth thisth?” Discord pouted. “No, Fluttershy. Puppy eyes aren’t going to work on me this time.” “Prettyth pleease?” “No!” “Pleease?” Spike watched as they went back and forth. They bickered like old friends, but also kinda like they were dating or something. It made Spike feel, odd, like he wasn’t allowed to watch this interaction. It was just them two, after all. Spike could turn around and talk to Big Mac about this whole DarkScape thing, but he didn’t. Spike kept his eyes glued to the scene, even if it hurt him to watch. Fluttershy was now piledriving Discord to the ground. The draconequus looked to Spike and Big Mac for help, yet to no avail. Why did he think Spike was going to help him? Fluttershy could suplex a bear and then some. Spike wasn’t going to make a difference in their tussle. So he stood there, nudging Big Mac with his shoulder. “Looks like he needs our help, Big Mac.” Spike chuckled when he heard Big Mac’s response. “Eenope. Not my time to die today.” “Not my time to die either,” Spike echoed. He let out a laugh. “Besides my schedule is overcrowded by my severe self-loathing!” Spike thought it would be funny to think that his self-loathing of his own existence would make Big Mac laugh, yet the big gentle giant only turned his attention to the dragon, an eyebrow raised as if it was judgment day. Spike gulped. Big Mac knew. He knew. He knew. “Spike, what do you mean by self-loathing?” Spike couldn’t look at the stallion, not when there was a mare and otherworldly being wrestling beside them. Yet, he also couldn’t look at the fight. He could just feel that penetrating gaze drifting over his form, judging each and every fiber of his being like Big Brother. At any moment, Big Mac would prod more, ask if he was okay, and coerce more of his suffering out like Starlight and Pinkie did. As he looked at the floor, he wondered if he’d be standing for much longer. He also wondered if the sword in this universe would not only kill him in this game world Discord made, but also make him bleed out in real life, to the point that he’d no longer wish to breathe—  Spike felt Big Mac smack him upside the head. He grimaced as he turned to the stallion, who promptly tilted his head. “Sorry, Spike. You were in your own little world there.” “Thanks,” Spike muttered. “I needed that.” “No problem! Sometimes I need a good whapping in the noggin to get myself on straight.” Big Mac said. He chuckled. “Y’know, we could talk about this while they’re fightin’ and what not—” Spike shook his head. “I’d prefer not to, right now. If that’s okay.” “Of course,” Big Mac began. He had looked more blank at Spike previously, his brows not furrowed or raised in any shape or form. Yet, now, Spike saw the stallion’s brows furrow and his muzzle scrunch up slightly. He meant business, and Spike was a customer. “But you’re talkin’ to all of us later.” Spike felt his lips start to fall. He was not wanting to talk to all of them at once, but if this was the way out of this little situation his mouth got him into, then Spike was willing to bargain. He nodded and brought his claw out. “Deal.” The stallion looked at the outstretched claw and smirked. He bumped his hoof against it. Spike watched the red hoof plop on the ground. It clopped against the floorboard softly, unlike the roughhousing going on in front of them. Apparently, Discord was winning now, having her put in a cage and—  “Now with that settled, Spike and Big Mac, come retrieve your armor!” What.  Spike looked at Fluttershy in a cage. She was pouting, glaring daggers at the draconequus. Meanwhile, there, set out in front of them, was a huge stash of armor and other valuables. Even—was that a gem?! “Discord? What’s that gem?” “The gem?” Discord asked. He looked around in a frenzy, searching for the gem that Spike spoke of, only to nearly keel over when he floated too low and almost tripped over a platebody. Luckily, Discord regained his balance, and also found the gem. It was a light blue-ish color and had a bit of a glint in the light. “Ahhh, this gem. It’s something that, well, we probably won’t be able to hit on in this session, but once we gain more levels, I’ll introduce you… to the skill.” “Skill?” Big Mac asked. “Yes, there are a lot of skills in this game, but we don’t need to worry about those yet.” Discord tossed a helmet toward Spike, who grabbed it in his claws. “Now let’s get going! We got some rats to slay!” “Rats?” Spike raised a brow. “Where?” “They’re outside down the hatch! We have to kill forty of them before we can leave the level! Besides, this will be a great warm up for the dragon later!” Spike groaned. “Really Discord? A warm up?” Discord smirked. “Chaos is a talent of mine, and even dried up puns are part of the package.” Well, now that we all have our weapons and armor, let’s get out of here!” Big Mac tilted his head. “Discord, aren’t ya forgettin’ somethin’?” “What do you mean, Big Mac? We have everything don’t we? I—ack!” Discord was impaled by an iron helmet from left field. “Where did that come from?” Fluttershy, who had been stuck in the cage, stuck her tongue out at Discord. “What do you mean you have everything, Discord?” Discord awkwardly shuffled his way over to the cage. He snapped his fingers. The pegasus was free, nearly swinging the sword into Discord’s skull. Thankfully, he dodged it, only to get shield-butted in the chest. Discord grunted, and glared at the pegasus. “Fluttershy, why?” Fluttershy glared at him, her wings slightly up, and her brows furrowed. “Don’t you ever do that to me again. You should know better, mister.” “Got. It…” Discord breathed, nearly cowering underneath the mare, even though he was much taller than her. “Great!” she said cheerfully. She picked her helmet off the ground and put it on, being extra careful with her mane. With her helmet on, she trotted towards the door and threw it open. Turning her head, she looked at the three stooges and smiled. “Are you boys ready?” The three stooges followed the mare cautiously as she skipped her way to the hatch, ready to slay the supposed rat infestation.  Spike would never look at Fluttershy the same ever again. He thought she was a very caring pony who would look after any animal with kindness and cheer. Yet she had slaughtered hundreds of giant bloodthirsty rats with nothing but a sharp blade and a shield. When she killed her last one, she took a deep breath and flicked the front part of her helmet open, revealing a confident looking Fluttershy to her companions, a smile gracing her face. “I think that’s all of them, boys, I—” Fluttershy said, before she recoiled, her stutter apparent. “W-What?” Spike and his friends were all staring at her gobsmacked, their jaws nearly on the ground. However, when Spike saw that Fluttershy was looking away from them, he was able to recover his jaw and snap it back in place. She tried to paw at her mane, but she forgot her helmet was still on. With nowhere to hide, she was out there for the three of them to see, and it was something that had Spike holding in a laugh, while also wondering how Fluttershy could even keep herself composed during all that action. It was admirable; heck, she should just consider herself part of the guys now in his mind, even if she didn’t think she was worthy of it. She was very worthy of it. She fought her way for that role. Just like he did. Spike smiled. He genuinely smiled. His lips were tugged upward, and his eyes felt wet even though he didn’t feel the urge to cry. He had only felt this way a few times in his life. He almost forgot that he could feel this way: the feeling of accomplishment. They all had taken part in the rat massacre, otherwise Fluttershy would’ve been way higher level than the rest of them. The dungeon they had discovered was not only rat infested. There had been a few goblins too, and also a couple of demons. But they had fought through it all, and met a pony along the way. He was a stallion who was very keen on telling them about their armor stats and attack styles. He had some cool tattoos, though, and Spike was keen on getting one on himself someday, if Twilight allowed him to, that is. Besides the cool stallion and the murder of hundreds of pesky rats, the squad found a lot of new armor and weapons to use. Spike knew it was normal to obtain a lot of loot while killing monsters in any game, but they had so much loot that they had to replace their old weapons and armor with completely new sets. Why the rats dropped full sets of armor and better weapons was beyond Spike’s comprehension. Besides, it wasn’t that important. What was important was that they made it out of the dungeon without any injuries to speak of.  The group were now sitting in a nice little field filled with flowers and trees that danced in the gentle breeze. Spike had propped himself against one of the trees. Even though it was just the tutorial level, it actually challenged him to the point of feeling tired. He needed to rest a bit, let the breeze hit his scales, and think about everything that has happened. This was just what he needed to get himself out of his rut, something that didn’t plague his mind any longer. All it did was resurface… like it did just now. Spike shook his head. He wasn’t going to allow himself to think himself back into self-hatred. He didn’t have the time for that anyway. They had a long way to go. This was just a pit stop, after all. Why let himself fall into a pit of despair when he was having so much fun with friends? He sighed. His mind wasn’t letting him keep his fun uninterrupted. It was just going to stomp in with a bout of depression that was enough to make his lips fall flat. Yet it was going to recognize everything else with varying degrees of splendor. He chuckled at the oddity of it all, how back and forth his mind was. “Spike?” Spike’s ears perked up to the sound of Big Mac. He opened his eyes to see the stallion, who was still decked in his armor (minus his helmet), looking down at him, concerned. “Yes?” “Discord wanted me to ask ya if you’re wantin’ a bit of bread.” Spike shook his head. “Nah. I’m not hungry. I’m just sitting down to get a load off from all this fighting.” The dragon nearly closed his eyes when Big Mac piped up, “Ya mind if I join ya?” “Nope. Knock yourself out.” The ironclad stallion laid himself down next to the dragon. The two looked up at the sky, which, in this world, had very few clouds. Yet those few clouds drifted onwards, doing nothing to each other. “So, have you changed your mind?” Spike tilted his head. “Changed my mind?” Big Mac nodded. “Ya still havin’ those thoughts, aren’t cha?” Spike felt himself go after that comment, letting out a shaky breath. “Spike, I’m not tryin’ to force it out of ya but… it ain’t healthy doin’ this on your own.” “I-I know, Big Mac. It’s just… complicated.” “Mare problems?” Big Mac fired back. “Yeah…” Spike’s voice drifted like the clouds. “How did ya know?” “Every stallion got issues with mares. Surprised I haven't heard anyone say anythin’ yet about yours.” He let his back fall against the tree trunk. “So, who’s the mare?” “Rarity.” “Ah, that one.” Spike raised a brow at his friend. “What does that mean?” “She’s a bit high maintenance, don’t you think?” “I mean… I guess. She does want a lot of stuff done when I’m over to help her,” Spike reasoned. He looked at his claws, twiddling with them. “Is there something bad about high maintenance?” “Well, not exactly. It’s just makes ya a lot more stressed over pleasin’ her without her seein’ past the trees. Not the best way of livin’ if I had to say much.” He sucked in a big amount of air through his nostrils. “Don’t matter, though, what did she do to have you thinkin’ like this?” Spike hummed to himself before he responded. “Lots, really. Mostly just ignoring my advances, and misinterpreting what I said to her.” He mimicked Big Mac’s deep breath. “Not that it’s all her fault. I said a lot of things that I should and shouldn’t have. I’m on a two way street named Blame Road with her, Big Mac.” “Hmmm, sounds like you really got yourself tangled up,” Big Mac said, earning himself a chuckle from Spike. “You could say that again.” “Okay, sounds like you really got yourself tang—” Spike frantically put a claw over Big Mac’s maw. “S-Stop!” “You asked for it, Spike, not me,” Big Mac said, stifling a laugh. He smiled. “Still, if it’s eatin’ ya up so much, why not just go and apologize to her and set things straight?” “That sounds so simple, Big Mac, but it’s hard to do that.” “Why?” “I said that I couldn’t be friends with her anymore.” Big Mac’s lips formed into an ‘o’ for a brief moment, before he let out a whistle. "Phew, ya got yourself in a mighty pickle with this one.” Spike nodded. The two stayed quiet for a while, watching the clouds drift, the trees and flowers dance, and Fluttershy and Discord laughing and chatting together. It was peaceful compared to the inner turmoil Spike was enduring. Big Mac had said it best. He was stuck, and he had no clue of getting out. If only Spike could figure out a way to get himself back on track, then maybe he'd hate himself a little less than he already did. Luckily for him, Big Mac was a thinker. The stallion broke the silence. “So why can’t you apologize?” Spike tilted his head. “What? Didn’t I just say—” “I know what you said, Spike,” Big Mac said sternly. “I just think it’s just a bit off-puttin’ knowin’ that ya can’t apologize because ya said somethin’ in the heat of the moment.” In the heat of the moment.  Spike couldn’t help but hone in on those words. Was it just said in the heat of the moment? Or had he been thinking of that for a while? He couldn’t decide on which made more sense, probably because his hindsight is more or less 50-70, but no one had to know that. Spike felt his claws go numb. And his back? Cold as ice. He couldn’t help but shiver as he sat next to his friend. It made him feel wrong. All sorts of wrong. “I… guess you’re right. I should say something to her.” “Exactly,” Big Mac said with a smile. He nudged the dragon’s shoulder. “But don’t get too caught up in your own apology to not hold her accountable too. From what it sounds like, both of ya have some apologizin’ to do.” Spike’s eyes widened. “You really think so?” “Ya don’t have to tell me much to know how to help ya, Spike,” Big Mac said with a smirk. “Besides, ya helped me with Sugar Belle a while back, it’s only fair if I repaid ya for your kindness, and since ya don’t take bits or apples, this is the least I could do.” Spike grinned. “Thanks, Big Mac.” He held a claw out. And Big Mac reciprocated, bumping the curled up claw with a hoof. “No problem. Looks like ya don’t have to chat with the group now.” Spike felt even smaller with that remark. “I… might still chat with you all about it before I leave.” “Are you sure?” Big Mac asked with a brow raised. “Ya don’t have to force yourself if you don’t want to.” “I’m sure of it. Besides, I didn’t tell you all of it, just the part that worried me the most.” Spike watched as Big Mac’s right ear twitched. He chuckled. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing too serious.” “If ya say so…” “Trust me, I know so,” Spike replied. He watched as Fluttershy and Discord approached, smiling ear-to-ear. “Huh, what are they so happy about?” “I don’t know, want to find out?” Spike chuckled. “Sure.” He pushed himself off the ground. He held out a claw towards his friend. “Want some help?” Big Mac nodded, grabbing Spike’s outstretched claw and pushed up. The two cleaned themselves off and grabbed their weapons and armor. Fluttershy and Discord finally reached them, the former announcing with glee, “Are you both ready to head out?” “Yep! Why, what are we doing?” Discord clapped his claws together. “We have a dragon to find!” Spike gulped. It wasn’t because Discord said it was a dragon. That would be silly, he’s a dragon too! However, he knew that look from anywhere. Discord was planning something. Something arduous and painstakingly difficult.  Big Mac tilted his head. “A dragon?” “Yep!” Fluttershy exclaimed, squeeing. Her wings flapped as he spoke, “There’s a dragon that’s bothering the village up north, and we’ve been asked by a messenger to come and aid them in finding the dragon.” “And then what do we do?” “Fight it. Probably kill it,” Discord said flatly, much to the chagrin of Fluttershy. Discord threw his claws in the air. “What? It’s part of the questline!” Fluttershy harrumphed, her wings returning to her sides. “We could also tell it to leave them alone.” “My dear Fluttershy, although I see where you’re going with this, the questline is scripted strictly that we have to fight the dragon and—” He tilted his head at the mare. “Wait, why are you saying we should tell the dragon to leave them alone when you went on a rampage in that dungeon?” “Well…” Fluttershy muttered. Her eyes darted among the three of her friends. Spike was curious if she was going to duck behind her mane again, but she didn’t, standing tall even if her hooves were shaking. “The rats weren’t wanting to leave us alone, Discord. Besides, from what it sounded like, we were meant to… kill them, weren’t we?” Discord nodded. “Yes, but—” “I had to put on a brave face to be able to get us out of there. That’s what I have to do to get past it all.” She gave them all a small smile. “That’s why I’m asking what I’m asking. Isn’t there a way we can ask the dragon to leave the villagers alone?” “No, if I moved away from the script, it could break the whole entire quest and—” “Then write a new section!” Fluttershy softly ‘shouted’, glaring at Discord. Spike tuned them out as they continued their conversation. He almost facepalmed when Discord said it was scripted, but what did Spike know about how Discord made his realms? All he could do was walk a bit away from the action and take a look at the sky. The sun was still high in this reality that Discord made, but that couldn’t be true back at the cottage. He sighed. This was going to be a long quest, which meant that Spike wasn't getting out of the cottage until late. And that bothered Spike, so much that he hated himself for coming. Spike groaned. “I hate everything.”